Councillor Brown checks the video feed several times while his vehicle appears to still be moving.
A Boston borough councillor seen driving while attending a virtual council meeting has been handed a £200 fine and six points on his licence.
Councillor David Brown stepped down from his role on Friday, September 11, after admitting he “shouldn’t have joined” a virtual cabinet meeting the Wednesday prior.
The former portfolio holder for Tourism, Arts and Culture at Boston Borough Council had remained under police investigation for several weeks.
However, it has now been confirmed the investigation was handed to Norfolk Police due to it taking place on the A10.
A force spokesperson said: “Norfolk police have investigated an incident where a man was seen to be using a mobile phone whilst driving on the A10 on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
“Following a review of the evidence a fixed penalty notice was issued to the driver which resulted in a £200 fine and six points on the driver’s license.”
The meeting was live-streamed and the video in full later appeared on the council’s YouTube channel.
In the footage, the vehicle Councillor Brown is sat in is clearly moving.
Councillor Brown has his hands on the wheel, however, on several occasions he fiddles with the device he is using to attend the meeting, moving it closer to his face and readjusting its position.
This goes on for 20 minutes before Councillor Brown disappears from view. When he reappears it looks like he was parked up for the rest of the meeting.
The incident sparked several reports to Lincolnshire Police and Boston Borough Council.
A Boston Borough Council spokesperson said the authority would not be making any further comment on the case.
Spotted an error? Please notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
A man in his 40s was injured after an industrial incident in Holbeach on Wednesday morning.
Emergency services, along with an air ambulance, attended the scene of the incident on Park Road, which was reported to police at 10.47am on January 20.
The road was closed just after 11.30am.
Emergency services and an air ambulance attended the scene. | Photo: Dennis Vink
Police said the man’s injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
No arrests have been made and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been notified.
Six in ten new COVID cases in Lincolnshire were with the new, more infectious variant in the first week of 2021.
The county council’s public health team said that by January 8, 59.2% of tests contained a variant of the virus — up from 36% in the last two weeks of 2020.
North East Lincolnshire’s latest epidemiology report says 50% of positive COVID tests contained the new variant in the first two weeks of January, up from 40% at the end of December.
The new strains of COVID-19 are believed to be up to 70% more transmissible than the first circulating form of the virus.
Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s director for public health, said he expected the new variants to “push the old one out”.
“At some point in the future 100% or 98% of our cases will be the new variants,” he said.
“The key point is the new variants are out there in South Africa and Brazil, but the key messages stay the same.
“It is a stay at home lockdown and it doesn’t matter which one it is, you’re not going to get it if you don’t go out the door, and, if you are going to have to go outdoors then remember hands, face, space.”
Pfizer said that their vaccine is effective against one key mutation, called N501Y, found in both of the new variants spreading in Britain and South Africa.
Meanwhile, under 70s could begin receiving the vaccine this week, as more than 4 million doses have been administered, the government said.
Tributes have been paid to a “real gentleman” after Skegness Town councillor and former mayor Jim Carpenter sadly died over the weekend.
Skegness Town Council was informed of the 71-year-old’s death on Monday, January 18. It is understood that Jim had also contracted coronavirus prior to his death.
Jim, who lived in Skegness and served the St Clements Ward, had been on the town council since May 2007.
He became mayor in 2013 and at the time of his death he held the position of deputy. He had been due to become mayor again in May 2021.
Jim Carpenter, as deputy mayor, was invited to officially open ‘Winnies’, the new Community Lounge in the Old Methodist Church in Winthorpe. | Photo: Skegness Town Council
Jim was also on the interview panel when town clerk Steve Larner was appointed in his role in 2011.
Steve told The Lincolnite: “I always found that he was a real gentleman in terms of the time he gave to everybody.
“He was just a really nice person and I never heard anybody say a bad word about him. He was liked by everyone he came into contact with.
“He was very generous with his time and I worked with him when he was mayor and he did an excellent job.”
Former mayor, councillor Jim Carpenter (left) with current mayor, councillor Mark Dannatt. | Photo: Skegness Town Council
Mark Dannatt, the current mayor of Skegness, said: “Councillor Carpenter’s death has come as a great shock to councillors and staff alike.
“Our memories are of a true gentleman who gave his time generously and worked hard for his family and the community.
“My thoughts and those of all my colleagues on the council go out to Jim’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time.”
The mayor is also likely to say a few words at a management committee meeting on Wednesday night.
Any plans of remembrance or tributes for Jim will be discussed at the next full town council meeting on February 3.
Whatsapp
